Autoob to anot edt svods muid seirf goos to solo vos mot or alds ad son vsca ad råguodi igged sad to use to nitquonos Joniteib od liber ti todt bPART III.52 ni 197 „2290

jai 03 17 bas 9010 Vienstz9 120m 6 ad, onlawon ti odem at 7922909a gault provo, and box moi qistribəmmi smos lliw di ɔzucO Showing how self knowledge is to be attained. vod red immopot od 229090 temm .916 pid FROM what has been said under the two former parts of the subject, self knowledge appears to be in itself so excellent, and in its effects so extensively useful and conducive to the happiness of human kind, that nothing need further be added by way of motive or induceement to excite us to make it the great object of our study and pursuit. If we regard our present peace, satisfaction, and usefulness, or our future and everlasting interests, we shall certainly value and prosecute this knowledge above all others; as what will be most ornamental to our characters, and beneficial to our interest in every state of life, and abundantly recompense all our labour.

Were there need of any further motives to excite us to this, I might lay open the many dreadful effects of self ignorance, and show how plainly it appears to be the original spring of all the follies and incongruities we see in the characters of men, and of most of the mortifications. and miseries they meet with here. This would

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soon appear by only mentioning the reverse of * those advantages before specified, which result from self knowledge. For what is it, but a want of self knowledge that makes us so un settled and volatile in, our dispositions? So subject to transport and excess of passions in the varying scenes of life? So rash and unguarded in our conduct? So vain and self sufficient? So censorious and malignant? So eager and confident? So little useful in the world, in comparison of what we might be? So inconsistent with ourselves? Sol mistaken in our notions of true religion? So generally indisposed to, or unengaged in the holy duties of it? And finally, so unfit for death, and so afraid of dying?I say, to what is all this owing, but self ignorance? the first and fruitful source of all this long train of evils. And indeed there is scarce any, but what may be traced up to it. In short, it brutifies man to be ignorant of himself. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not (himself especially) is as the beasts that perish.'* or au

Come home then, O my wandering, self neglecting soul; lose not thyself in a wilderness or tumult of impertinent, vain, distracting things. Thy work is nearer thee; the country thou shouldst first survey and travel is within thee; from which thou must pass to that above thee; when by losing thyself in this without thee, thou wilt find thyself, before thou art a

* Psalm xlix. 20.

ware, in that below thee. Let the eyes of fools be in the corners of the earth; leave it to men beside themselves, to live as without them. selves; do thou keep at home and mind thine own business. Survey thyself, thine own make and nature, and thou wilt find full employment for all thy most active thoughts. But dost thou delight in the mysteries of nature? Consider well the mystery of thy own. The compen dium of all thou, studiest is near thee, even within thee; thy self being the epitome of the world. If either necessity or duty, nature or grace, reason or faith, internal inducements, external impulses, or eternal motives, might determine the subject of thy study and contemplation, thou wouldst call home thy distracted thoughts, and employ them more on thyself and thy God. to mu got a IL TO 400102 Now then let us resolve that henceforth the study of ourselves shall be the business of lives. That by the blessing of God, we may

arrive at such a degree of self know befo

as

may secure to us the excellent benefits before mentioned. To which end, we should do well to attend diligently to the rules laid down in the following chapters.

I. THE first thing necessary to self

knowledge is self inspection.

We must often look into our hearts, if we would know them. They are very deceitful; more so than we can imagine, till we have wed searched, and tried, and watched them well. We may meet with frauds and faithless dealings from men; but after all, our own hearts are the greatest cheats; and there are none we are in greater danger from than ourselves. We must first suspect ourselves, then examine ourselves, then watch ourselves, if we expect ever to know ourselves. How is it possible there should be any self acquaintance without self converse?

Were a man to accustom himself to such self employment, he need not live till thirty before* he suspects himself a fool, or till forty before he knows it.

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Men could never be so bad as they are, if they did but take a proper care and scope this business of self examination; if they did but look backwards to what they were, inwards to what they are, and forwards to what they shall be.

And as this is the first and most necessary step to self acquaintance, it may not be amiss to be a little more particular in it. Therefore,

1. This business of self scrutiny must be performed with great care and diligence, otherwise our hearts will deceive us, even whilst we are examining of them. When we set our selves to think, some trifle or

terrupts and draws us off froer presently in

any profitable recollection. Nay, we ourselves fly out, and are glad to be diverted from a severe examination into our own state; which is sure, if diligently pursued, to present us with objects of shame and sorrow, which will wound our sight, and soon make us weary of this necessary work.

Do not let us flatter ourselves then, that this is a mighty easy business. Much pains and care are necessary sometimes to keep the mind intent; and more to keep it impartial. And éto the difficulty of it is the reason that so many are averse to it; and care not t to d descend into

themselves.'

Reader! try the experiment; retire now into thyself; and see if thou canst not strike out some light within, by closely urging such questions as these What am I? For what was I made? And to what ends have I been preserved so long, by the favour of my maker? Do I remember or forget those ends? Have I an swered or perverted them? What have I been doing since I came into the world? What is the world, or myself, the better for my living so many years in it? What is my allowed course of action? Am I sure it will bear the future stat test? Am I now in that state I shall wish to

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